Electric discharge device systems



SePt- 19, 1939 L. A. sCHUTTlG 2,173,315

ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 9, 1956 Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE SYSTEMS Leonard A. Schuttig, Silver Spring, Md., assignor,

by mesne. assignments, to Bendix Radio Corporation, New York, Delaware N. Y., a corporation of Application January 9, 1936, Serial No. 58,388

10 Claims.

This invention relates to electric discharge device circuit arrangements generally. More particularly this invention relates to electric discharge device apparatus adapted to function as a high speed relay and signal limiting apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide an electric discharge device relay circuit for high speed control of electrical circuits.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electric -discharge device circuit arrangement having rapid signal response characteristicsand being adapted to control electrical circuits in accordance with predetermined signals.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a relay circuit employing a plural grid electric .discharge device in which the potential impressed on one of the grids is controlled by a device having a non-linear voltage-current characteristic.

A further object of this invention is to provide a signal responsive electric discharge device adapted to operate a relay circuit only when a predetermined signal intensity or potential is impressed upon the control electrode of the device.

Another object of this invention is to provide electric discharge device relay apparatus adapted to respond only to electrical impulses of predetermined intensity for controllingan auxiliary circuit.

A further object of this invention is to provide electric discharge device signal responsive apparatus connected to control an electric discharge ldevice relay in such a manner that said relay will have a substantially constant output as long as the signal intensity is at or above a certain predetermined value.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart towhich it relates from the following specification and the claims.

In accordance with this invention I provide an electric discharge device apparatus employing a pair of electric discharge devices of the control electrode type and an auxiliary electric discharge device of the gas conduction type.

Additional electric discharge devices adapted to function as amplifiers, rectifiers, and like apparatus may be employed, particularly where my invention is to be energized in accordance with signal energy.

Electrical impulses are impressed on the control electrode of one of the pair of electric discharge devices in such a manner that the bias. potential of this device becomes more negative as the intensity or potential of the .electrical impulses increases. A gas conduction device is connected to this device in such a manner that the discharge therethrough is reduced practically to zero after a certain electrical-impulse-intensity is impressed on the control electrode thereof. The

(Cl. Z50-27) control electrode bias potential of the other of the pair of electric discharge devices is influenced by this discharge reduction in the former device, causing this latter or other of said pair of devices to become more conductive and maintaining that conductivity relatively constant or limiting it to a predetermined value irrespective oi fluctuations in the electrical-impulse-intensit beyond a certain value.

Further details and features of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of this invention and the drawing in which, briefly, the sole figure illustrates, schematically, a circuit diagram in which this invention is incorporated.

Reference numeral l designates a number of radio receiving sets, such as are employed in receiving signal energy. These sets may be located at remote points with respect to each other and each provided with an independent antenna adjusted for diversity reception or to compensate for fading eiects often encountered in radio reception.

Only one radio receiver l is necessary for the purpose of this invention, however, and it is not desired to limit this invention to an arrangement employing several receivers. likewise the signal may be received over a wire system and need not be received over a space radiosystem or the signal impulses may be derived from a load source and the control apparatus hereinafter described may be controlled in accordance therewith as desired.

The outputs of the receivers l are connected to recitiers la and the outputs of the rectiers la are in turn connected in parallel to the low pass filter lb; which is connected across the resistor 2 and impresses a grid biasing potential for the grid electrode 3 across this resistor. A source of current supply 8 is employed to furnish part of the bias potential for the grid 3. The grid electrode 3 of the electric discharge device 2l] is connected through the resistor 2 to the source negative terminal of current supply 8, the positive terminal of the latter is connected to the cathode 4. Connections are provided between the positive terminal of the source of current supply 9, the cathode 4, the resistor l and the anode S. The auxiliary grid electrode 5 of the discharge device 26 is connected to a gaseous diode l2 and which in turn is connected to the positive terminal sourceof current supply Il. Connections are provided between the negative terminal of the source of current supply I l and the positive terminal of the source of current supply Ill which is connected to the source 9 and the resistor l. rIfhe anode 6 of the discharge device 20 is connected to the resistor l and to a terminal of the secondary Winding lll, they other terminal of which is connected to the grid electrode l5 of the discharge device 2|. The cathode I6 of the discharge device 2| is connected to the negative terminal of the source of current supply 22 and to the common connection of sources IB and II. The positive terminal of source 22 is connected to the primary I8, the other terminal is connected to the anode II.

A source of alternating current supply 23 is connected to the primary I3 for the purpose of impressing a pulsating potential on the secondary I4 and grid circuit of the device `2I. The anode circuit of the device 2I is Yconnected to the primary I8 for impressing a pulsating potential on the circuit of the secondary I9 to be fed from there to any other point at which it is desiredto be utilized.

The operation of the circuit of my invention is as follows:

When a signal impuse is fed from one or all of the receivers I through the rectiers Ia and low pass lter Ib into the grid resistor 2, the grid bias potential impressed on the grid electrode 3 be- CTI - trol of the grid I5.

comes more negative and decreases the space currents between the anode 6 and cathode 4 and between the auxiliary grid 5 and cathode 4. As the space current between the grid 5 and the cathode 4 decreases, the resistance between this grid and the cathode 4 increases. The potential drop between Vthe grid 5 and cathode 4 increases, and causes a decrease in the voltage across the gaseous diode I2, supplied by sources 9, I Il, and II. As the voltage across the diode I2 decreases, it reaches a value insuicient to sustain an electric discharge between the electrodes of the diode. When the discharge through the diode stops, the space current between the auxiliary grid 5 and the cathode 4 stops, with the result that the discharge through the device 2U is blocked and no appreciable amount of current ilows through the resistor 'I and the anode-cathode circuit of this device.

'Ihe potential .drop across resistor "I, caused by the space current between the anode 6 and the cathode 4, furnishes a bias potential for the grid I5 of the discharge device 2| suilicient to block this latter device. However, when the space current between the anode 6 and cathode 4 is interrupted, the bias potential across resistor I is removed, and the discharge device 2| becomes conductive, permitting the ilow of current between the cathodeIG and anode I'I under the con- The discharge device 2| then acts more or less as a thermionic or electron relay, and passes pulsating current, corresponding more or less to the wave-form of the source of supply 23, to the output circuit comprising transformer windings I8 and I9.

After the potential impressed on the grid electrode 3 of device 20 reaches a certain negative value such that the diode I2 is no longer ignited and the current through the resistor 'I is blocked,

" additional negative voltage impressed on the grid electrode 3 no longer causes any eiect on the space currents between the auxiliary grid 5 and the cathode 4 and between the anode '6 and the cathode 4, inasmuch as these space currents are already substantially zero in magnitude. Consequently, any increase in the outputs of the receivers I and rectifiers Ia above a certain amount sufficient to block the discharge device 20 will not affect'the 'output of the transformer including windings I8 and I9.

Thecircuit arrangement of my invention may be employed with electric discharge devices of various designs of the high vacuum or gas content type and various modications in the details of the arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. I doy not therefore desire to limit this invention to the eXact details shown except insofar as those details are defined by the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. An electric discharge device circuit arrangement comprising an electric discharge .device having a cathode, a plurality of grid-like electrodes and an anode, a glow discharge device having two electrodes, connections between one of said glow discharge device electrodes and one of said grid-like electrodes, means for impressing a grid bias potential on another of said grid-like electrodes for biasing said last electrode with respect to said cathode, sources of current supply for energizing said anode and said glow discharge device, a second electric discharge device having cathode, anode and grid electrodes, means for deriving a grid bias potential for said second electric discharge device from said sources of current supply for maintaining said second electric discharge device relatively non-conductive, and means including said glow discharge device for blocking the anode current of said rst electric discharge device and altering the grid bias of said second electric discharge device to increase the conductivity thereof.

2. An electric ,discharge device circuit arrangement comprising an electric discharge device having a cathode, a plurality of grid-like electrodes and an anode, a glow discharge device having two electrodes, connections between one of said glow discharge .device electrodes and one of said grid like electrodes, means for impressing a grid bias potential on another of said grid-like electrodes for biasing said last electrode with respect to said cathode, means for energizing said anode and said glow discharge device, a second electric discharge device having cathode, anode, and grid electrodes, means for deriving a grid bias potential for said second electric discharge device from said last mentioned means for maintaining said second electric discharge device relatively non-conductive, and means including said glow discharge device for blocking the anode current of said first electric .discharge device and altering the grid bias of said second electric discharge device to increase the conductivity thereof.

3. An electric discharge device circuit arrangement comprising an electric discharge device having a cathode, a pair of grid-like electrodes and an anode, al glow discharge device having two electrodes, connections between one of said glow discharge device electrodes and one of said gridlike electrodes, means for impressing a grid bias potential on the other of said grid-like electrodes for biasing said last electrode with respect to said cathode, a source of current supply for energizing said anode, means connected to the other electrode of said glow .discharge device for energizing said grid-like electrode connected thereto, a second electric discharge device having cathode, anode, and grid electrodes, means for deriving a grid bias potential for said second electric discharge device from said source of current supply for maintaining sai-d second electric discharge device relatively non-conductive, and means including said glow discharge device for blocking the anode `current of said r'st electric discharge device and altering the grid bias of said second electric discharge device to increase the conductivity thereof.

4. An electric discharge device circuit arrangement comprising an electric discharge device having a cathode, a pair of grid-like electrodes and an anode, a glow discharge device having two electrodes, connections between one of said glow discharge device electrodes and one of said grid-like electrodes, a signal rceiver, means including said signal receiver for impressing a grid bias potential on the other of said grid-like electrodes for biasing said last electrode with respect to said cathode, sources of current supply for energizing said anode and said glow discharge device, a second electric discharge device having cathode, anode, and grid electrodes, means for deriving a grid bias potential for said second electric discharge device from said sources of current supply for maintaining said second electric discharge device relatively non-conductive, and means including said glow discharge device for blocking the anode current of said first electric discharge device and altering the grid bias of said second electric discharge device to increase the conductivity thereof.

5. In electric discharge device systems the combination of signal receiving means, an electric discharge device having cathode, grid, and anode electrodes, means for impressing signal energy on said grid electrode of said electric discharge device, means for impressing a bias potential on said grid electrode with respect to said cathode, an electric discharge device relay having cathode, anode, and grid electrodes, a resistance connected between the cathode and anode of said first mentioned electric discharge device, said resistance furnishing at least part of the grid bias for said electric discharge device relay, and control means including a gaseous discharge device in circuit with said iirst mentioned electric discharge device for reducing the current through said resistance substantially to zero when the potential of the signal energy impressed on said rst mentioned electricdischarge device reaches a predetermined value whereby said electric discharge device relay is rendered more conductive by a predetermined amount.

6. In an electric discharge device control circuit the combination of signal receiving means, means for rectiiying the output of said signal receiving means, an electric discharge device having cathode, grid, auxiliary grid and anode electrodes, means for impressing a negative potential from said rectifying means on said grid electrode for biasing said grid electrode negatively With respect to said cathode in accordance with signaling energy, a source of current supply connected to the cathode and anode of said electric discharge device, a resistance connected between said anode and said source of current supply for developing a potential difference depending upon the magnitude of the current flowing between said anode and said cathode, a relay connected to said resistance, and means connected to said auxiliary grid electrode for substantially reducing the current through said resistance when signal energy of a predetermined potential is impressed on the grid of said electric discharge device, for controlling the operation of said relay.

7. In electric discharge device systems the combination of a plurality of signal receiving units remotely spaced and adjusted for diversity reception, rectiiying means for rectifying the outputs of each of said signal receiving units, a low pass lter connected to said rectifying means, an impedance element connected to the output of said filter, an electric-discharge device having cathode, grid, auxiliary grid, and anode electrodes, connections between said impedance element and said cathode and grid electrodes for impressing a negative potential on said grid varying in accordance with the signals received over said signal receiver units, a gaseous discharge device connected to said auxiliary grid electrode for controlling the current ilow between said cathode and anode in accordance with the current through said gaseous discharge device, means for energizing said auxiliary grid and said anode, an impedance element connected in series with said anode for carrying the anode current, an auxiliary electric discharge device having a cathode, a grid and an anode, connections between said last mentioned grid, said last mentioned cathode and said last mentioned impedance element for impressing a negative potential on said last mentioned grid depending on the conductivity of said rst mentioned discharge device.

8. An electronic relay circuit for controlling the transmission of signaling energy comprising a thermionic discharge device having cathode, anode, and control electrodes, means for biasing said control electrode with respect to the reception of signaling energy,V said means including a second thermionic discharge device having cathode, anode, control, and auxiliary grid electrodes, means for biasing the control electrode of said second thermionic discharge device with respect to received signaling energy, resistor means connected between the cathode and anode of said second thermionic discharge device and providing a source of bias for the control electrode of the first of said thermionic discharge devices, means in circuit with said auxiliary grid electrode for relieving said bias when the incoming signaling energy reaches a predetermined value, and output means associated with the anode electrode of the first mentioned thermionic discharge device for transferring signaling energy.

9. In an electronic relay circuit, an electric discharge device comprising anode, cathode and control electrodes, means for biasing said control electrode, comprising a second electric discharge device having anode, cathode, control, and auxiliary grid electrodes, means for receiving an incoming signal, means responsive to the reception of signals for biasing the control electrode of said second discharge device, a biasing resistor in circuit with the anode electrode of said second discharge device, and being connected to the control electrode of the rst thermionic discharge device, and 'means in circuit with said auxiliary grid electrode for relieving the bias imposed upon the control electrode of the first discharge device when the control electrode of said second thermionic discharge device is biased by incoming signals.

10. In a radio receiving circuit, means for regulating the bias of a thermionlc discharge device, comprising a second thermionic discharge device having anode, cathode, control, and auxiliary grid electrodes, means for biasing said control electrode upon the reception vof signals, a resistor in circuit with said anode electrode adapted to provide a potential drop to be utilized for giving the desired bias to the first discharge device and means in circuit with said auxiliary electrode for removing the bias due to the drop across said resistor upon the reception of signaling energy.

LEONARD A. SCHU'I'I'IG. 

